10 Benefits of Having a Solar Energy System

Nowadays, we can't live without our mobile phones and our computers. Of course, advances in technology have already radically changed how we live our lives. Did you know that there is a very important aspect of our life that is still using 140 years of technology? And that is our main source of energy, which is coal power. Yes, there are improvements in the technology for extracting energy from coal, but there is a limit to this, because the coal we use is still the same as it was first used 140 years ago.  Burning coal can also disrupt our planet's natural carbon cycle by releasing the carbon content of coal into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide. This increases the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, which traps the heat from the sun and warms the entire planet.

Fortunately, we now have new, clean, and efficient energy sources in the form of solar energy. Here are the benefits of having a solar panel system in your home: 

1)  Clean - Solar energy does not produce any harmful greenhouse gases in its operation. Also, by using the solar energy system, you can reduce the energy you buy from your electric grid, so reduce our total emissions. With our collective efforts, we can make a difference, even if the amount of solar energy you generate on your roof is very small compared to our total energy consumption.

2) Renewable - Renewable energy source means from energy that won't run out. Examples include sunshine, rain, wind, waves, tides, and geothermal heat. This is important for energy sources because we don't have to worry about running out of fuel. For traditional fossil fuel sources such as coal, most of the costs come from mining, refining, and transporting fuel. Since it is not a problem for renewable energy sources, they are likely to be much cheaper.

As we already know that we can never rely on fossil fuel sources like coal, it is inevitable to replace it with cleaner and better energy sources. Since solar power is the only energy source that single homes can use, it has become one of the top options for coal replacement.

3)  Increase the value of the property - See Solar Roofs Map for neighborhoods with solar density and you will see an increase in values.

4)  Cooling effect - Providing shade for your roof which helps reduce hear. 

5) Net Metering - Our electric grid is designed for one-way power transmission, from the electric grid to our homes. However, with renewable energy, such as solar energy systems, homeowners are given the ability to generate electricity in their homes. This opens up the possibility for electricity to flow back into the electrical grid. In line with this change, a net metering scheme was created.

Net metering is a policy that allows homeowners to re-export or re-sell the grid and get credit for their monthly electricity bills. Since the solar energy system generates energy when there is sunlight, there may be times when it generates a lot of energy but the overall energy consumption of your home is low. In these cases, the excess energy is exported back to the electric grid. Your electricity provider credits you with an amount equal to the total export power multiplied by the feed-in-tariff at your location.

When your solar power system generates energy, the priority of your home appliances is to use that energy first. If this is not enough, this is the only time you can buy power from the grid. When your solar power system generates more power, the excess is exported and sold back to the grid.

6)  Exporting Excess Power Back to the Utility Grid?

Export power, on the other hand, refers to excess energy from your solar PV system, which you export or resell to the electric grid.

This means that the energy that goes into your self-consumption is equal to the cost of kW electricity from the grid. Because instead of buying electricity from the grid at this price, you get energy from your solar PV system.

On the other hand, for some countries, including the Philippines and Australia, exported energy is worth less than your self-consumption. When you export or sell energy back to the grid, you get credit for your monthly electricity bills. The problem is that you are credited at a price per kilowatt which is less than the total cost of electricity.

For example, In the Philippines, the cost of electricity is 10 pesos per kilowatt. However, you will be credited with only 5 pesos per kilowatt. There are other countries, such as the US, where the exported energy is deposited from the grid at a price equal to the cost of electricity.

That is why it is important to consider in detail your hourly use system to measure your home's solar PV system in terms of size, self-consumption, and exported energy caused by your solar PV system.

7)  Monthly savings  - As they say: "Money Makes The World Go Round" For this reason, being a clean energy source is still not enough to solve our energy problems. It should also be economically feasible. Fortunately, solar panel costs have fallen continuously due to improvements in solar panel technology and manufacturing techniques and processes. For this reason, grid equality for solar energy has already been achieved in most countries of the world. This means that solar power is officially already cheaper than electricity coming from the grid.

Currently, solar energy systems have become an option for homeowners who want to save on their monthly electricity bills. Because the sun is basically shining anywhere in the world, there is no limit to the efficient use of solar energy systems in homes.

To understand how you can save on your monthly electricity bills, you need to understand some aspects of solar energy systems:

How much you can save?

How much you can save depends on whether the value of electricity from your exported energy grid is less than or equal to the actual cost of electricity. If it's the equivalent of electricity from the grid, you can easily save 100% of your monthly electricity bill by having a solar PV system that generates more energy per month for your monthly electricity usage.

In another case, determining how much you can save can be tricky. To get started, you first need to evaluate your usage patterns. Think about how many tools you use from morning to afternoon. From this point in the day, your energy consumption is part of your total energy consumption, which you can offset with your solar PV system.

However, to get a more accurate estimate that considers both self-consumption and exported energy, you should contact a solar company to do this for you. They only need a copy of your electricity bills and a description of your hourly usage policy. From that data, a good solar company can already create a 25-year financial analysis that shows not only your monthly savings, but also other financial parameters:

• Recommended System Size and Options - A good solar company should be able to recommend the perfect solar PV system size for your use and uphold this recommendation. However, they should also offer you other options in terms of system size considering your size and the desired monthly savings. Note that some solar companies recommend system size greater than optimum to increase their sales.
• Brand and Model of Solar Panels and Solar Inverters - There are many cheap, low-quality solar panels and solar
• 25 Years of Economic Analysis - From there, it will show you how much energy is generated and estimate the amount that will go into your self-use and re-exported to the grid. It can be used to create a financial analysis for the entire life of the solar PV system (25 years), showing all months of the year, ROI, payback period, energy level, or monthly savings expected for LCOE. Others.
• Service Package - A good solar company should be able to detail their service package in detail, especially after installation.
•  Improving self-utilization - To further maximize the benefits you can get from a solar PV system, you can adjust your usage pattern to better match the product of your solar PV system. For example, you can choose to use your washing machine, flat iron, and any other tools during the afternoon. This reduces your export power (which is less valuable for solar PV systems in some countries)

8) Independent Power Producer - The best thing about having your own solar PV system is an independent power generator. This means that you have your own solar power plant on top of your roof.

9) It feels good to do something good for your neighborhood and community. 

10)  It looks cool and people will think more highly of you. 

What Type of Solar Panel System Is Best For My Home?

As solar panels become cheaper and cheaper, solar power is growing to unprecedented heights and is the future power of beating coal and other fossil fuels. It is imperative to take advantage of this opportunity to switch to solar power to save on your monthly electricity bills.  Follow the steps below for your first step to go solar, which determines the type and size of the solar energy system for your home. How do solar panels work?

You first need to know that a typical solar-powered home has 3 types of solar power system options, each with its own level of complexity, cost, and benefits. That is why the first step to going solar is deciding what type of home you want. Here are those 3 types, their description and advantages and disadvantages.



1)  On-grid system is connected to the electric grid. Your home will then have 2 sources of energy: your solar energy system and the electrical grid. In the morning, your home will power your devices with the energy generated by solar. If this is not enough, your home will get a deficit from the electric grid. In the afternoon, your solar generates more energy than your home's energy demands at that time. When this happens, the excess energy is exported back to the electric grid. If you have a net metering system, you will be credited a certain amount for all the energy you export and this credit will be deducted from your next electricity bill. At night, you usually get energy from the electric grid without solar.

The main advantage of on-grid systems is that it is simpler and therefore cheaper. You don't need batteries for your night time use or cloudy days. Also, it is more reliable to supply power from your home as you always have an electric grid backed up. You never have to worry about whether your solar can power your devices at any time.

The disadvantage of on-grid systems is that you still rely on the electric grid. Therefore, on-grid systems cannot be installed in remote locations. Also, when there is a power outage, the on-grid systems are automatically shut down as they are connected to the electric grid, making them useless in these situations.

2) Off-Grid - As its name suggests, off-grid systems allow homes to move off the grid or disconnect to the electrical grid and operate on their own. To do this, this type of system requires the use of batteries or a Tesla Power Wall. Solar panels are sized so that in the daytime, it produces more energy than your daylight consumption. The extra power is used to charge your batteries, and then used for your night time use.

The advantage of off-grid systems is that you are completely independent of the electric grid. Since you are already generating energy for your home, you will never have to pay for electric bills again. Also, you are not affected by power outages.

However, in spite of all those advantages, off-grid systems are complex to operate and maintain. This aside, it can be quite expensive as the system needs to be heavy to replace the extra batteries and low-radiation months (winter and rainy season).

3) Hybrid Systems - This type of system is a combination of on-grid and off-grid systems and allows the homeowner to enjoy the benefits of both systems. It is connected to an electric grid, such as an on-grid system, and also has batteries to serve as backup during power outages. Unlike off-grid systems, batteries of hybrid systems are usually reserved for these cases.

The advantage of hybrid systems is that you get the best of both worlds. Because you are still connected to the grid, you have the reliability of on-grid systems. With this, you will still have no problems supplying energy to your home when your solar generates enough power. Also, because you have batteries, you still have a power supply when there are power outages.

If set aside, you can use hybrid systems to take advantage of the tariff time. The tariff of consumption refers to having different power rates depending on the time of day. The rate at pre-defined times is called "off-peak hours" and is highest during "peak hours". Using the hybrid system, you can charge your batteries with electricity from the grid during off-peak time for your own consumption. Doing so will increase the savings you get from using solar energy.

As with off-grid systems, hybrid systems are difficult to operate and maintain as you also have batteries. Although not as expensive as off-grid systems, they are also expensive.

By knowing the different types of solar power systems and their associated advantages and disadvantages, you will be able to give you information on what you want in your home. However, you also need to consider the specific cost of each system and for that, you should get a quote from various solar entrepreneurs.

What Are Solar Panels & How Do They Work?

Solar Panels

What are Solar Panels?

Solar panels are devices that are used to convert light energy into electricity. They are made from semiconductors and they accomplish this through the photoelectric effect. Today, solar energy is one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the last few years in terms of global capacity and most of it is due to advancements in solar panel technology and continuous reductions in its cost.

What Type of solar panel system is best for my home?

How do They Work?

Solar panels are made from semiconductors and this gives them their distinct characteristic of being able to convert light into electricity. Semiconductors are a class of substances that are in between conductors and insulators. This means that they have a conductivity that is in between the two.

Semiconductors also have a property of being able to make use of the photoelectric effect. This phenomenon was first observed in 1887 by Heinrich Hertz. He had a device that is called the spark gap generator where you have two small metal spheres working as a transmitter and another two small metal spheres that work as a receiver. The transmitter can induce sparks between the metal spheres of the receiver. The two metal spheres of the receiver are separated by a small air gap and this air gap must be made to be very little to be able to for it to be effective. Hertz saw that he could increase the capacity of the receiver to faithfully reproduce the sparks from the transmitter by illuminating it with visible or ultraviolet light. He and all the other physicists at that time, however, we're unable to understand why and how it happens.

It was only more than 100 years later when the photoelectric effect was explained by none other than Albert Einstein. To understand it, we must first understand the basic model of an atom. Electrons inside the atom are arranged into shells with the nucleus in the center. These shells can be thought of as concentric spheres with larger spheres corresponding to higher energy levels. Electrons with the highest energy level are located in the outermost shell which is called the valence shell. Einstein proposed that light behaves as discrete particles when it hits the atom. It is then absorbed by the electron, allowing it to have a higher energy and escape its parent atom. This “free” electron can then be conducted throughout the material as electricity.

This is the exact same phenomenon that solar panels use to convert light into electricity. When solar panels are exposed to light, it creates a large number of free electrons in the semiconductor material. These free electrons are then collected at the solar panel terminals to create voltage and current.

Types of Solar Panels: Mono, Poly & Thin Film

There are 3 types of solar panels that are available in the market today and these are: 1.) Monocrystalline, 2.) Polycrystalline and 3.) Thin-film solar panels. The first two types are both made from crystalline silicon. Inside a crystalline silicon, the silicon molecules form themselves into a neat crystal arrangement all throughout the material. The only difference between the two being the purity of the crystalline silicon used. This simply means the absence of other types of atoms inside the material. The purity of the used silicon material is important as a higher purity also corresponds to a higher efficiency.

Monocrystalline Solar Panels

Monocrystalline solar panels can easily be distinguished from their black color. If you will also take a closer look, you will see that it has an even coloring and uniform look. This is because monocrystalline solar panels are made from silicon of that only has one crystal structure throughout the material, hence, the name monocrystalline.

Because they are made from a higher grade of silicon, they also have a higher efficiency. They also have a lower temperature coefficient, which means that they perform better at higher temperatures. They are also more expensive, however, since the processes that are used to enhance the purity of silicon are expensive.

For actual solar PV installations, the added cost of using monocrystalline solar panels can be worth it as they let you conserve space. Because of its higher efficiency, you will need to install less solar panels to produce the same amount of energy. This is very important when installing for buildings or houses with a limited roof space.

Polycrystalline Solar Panels

Polycrystalline solar panels usually come in color blue. It also has an uneven coloring which shows the different crystal structures inside the material. Polycrystalline silicon is also simpler to manufacture and therefore, costs less.

This type of solar panel tends to have a lower efficiency because of the lower silicon purity. They also have a higher temperature coefficient compared to monocrystalline solar panels. This means that they perform worse than monocrystalline solar panels at higher temperatures. However, in actual solar PV installations, the difference between the two is minor and there are more important things that homeowners need to take into account like brand, model, logistics, etc.

Thin Film Solar Panels

Thin film solar panels are made by depositing one or several thin layers of semiconductor material onto a substrate. They have the lowest efficiency compared to the first two types and because of this, they are not commonly used in residential, commercial or utility-scale applications. But they have a distinct advantage of being flexible, allowing them to be used in applications where the first two types can’t be used. 

Types of Solar Panels: 60-cell & 72-cell

There are generally two types of monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels available in the market today. These are 60-cell and 72-cell solar panels. These numbers correspond to the number of solar cells connected in series inside the solar panel. Solar panels are composed of smaller units connected in series, which are called solar cells. Solar cells typically produce a very low voltage and they are connected in series to produce a useable voltage level.

60-cell solar panels usually have power ratings of 230W-270 while 72-cell solar panels are usually in the range of 280W-320W. Because of having more cells in series, 72-cell solar panels are bigger in size, but most manufacturers just offer them at the same price per Watt. The choice on which type of solar panels to use, therefore, lies solely on the design of the solar PV system to be installed.

Solar Module Properties: IV Curve

The IV curve is the set of all points where the solar panels can operate on. These points correspond to the current and voltage values that they can produce at any given input values. The IV curve is very important as it describes how the solar panel will operate at any given input irradiance and temperature.

The IV curve is where we derive the most important operating parameters of the solar panels which are the: open-circuit voltage (Voc), the voltage at maximum power point (Vmp), short-circuit voltage (Isc) and current at maximum power point (Imp). These are the main parameters used in the design of solar PV systems. The IV curve of a solar panel is given by the equation:

This equation is used in some solar PV simulation software to determine the output parameters of the solar panels at any given point in time.

Solar Module Properties: Power Curve & Maximum Power Point

From the IV curve, we can derive another curve that tells us the power output of the solar panel at any given input parameters. We can see that the power output of a solar panel is 0 at both the open-circuit voltage and the short circuit current. We also see the power output be at its peak at a point called the maximum power point. The voltage and current values at this point are called voltage at maximum power point and current at the maximum power point, respectively.

On a PV array, each solar panel is “forced” by the inverter to operate at its maximum power point because this is where the solar panel is at its highest efficiency. This is the main reason why different brands and models of solar panels are never mixed together in a PV array. They may have different maximum power points which means that they must operate at different voltages and currents to produce maximum power. The inverter, however, can only choose one operating point for all solar panels and it chooses the point where PV array production is at its maximum. This means that each solar panel will have to operate outside of its maximum operating point and will, therefore, be less efficient.

Even in a PV array with a uniform brand and model of solar panels, imperfections in the manufacturing process may also introduce differences in the maximum power points in each solar panel. And similar to the situation explained in the above paragraph, each solar panel will operate at a slightly different point that its maximum power point. Because of this, the total maximum output of the PV array is effectively reduced. This is called mismatch loss and it is also considered by the top PV simulation programs when calculating energy yield.

Solar Module Properties: Efficiency

The efficiencies of commercially available solar panels are usually in the range of 15-20%. As with any other energy source, it is the ratio of input energy to its output. For solar panels, the input is the insolation that the solar panel receives.

Compared to other energy sources, solar energy has the lowest efficiency. But comparing energy sources through their efficiencies is comparing apples and oranges because each energy source has a different input. To make an accurate comparison, it makes sense to use LCOE instead.  LCOE stands for levelized cost of energy. It simply means the cost of power produced by any energy source over its lifetime. The simple way to calculate the LCOE is to divide the total cost of constructing the power plant with the total amount of energy that it will produce over its lifetime.

According to the 2017 edition of Lazard’s annual Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) study, solar and wind already has a lower LCOE than all the other energy sources because of their continuously plummeting costs.

The main reason why this is the case is because solar energy is technology-based rather than fuel-based like other fossil fuel sources. For fuel-based sources, improvements can only come through how efficiently we can extract energy from our fuel source. For a technology-based energy source like solar, however, its improvement is exponential This is similar to Moore’s Law for integrated circuits (IC). Not only that, with improvements in the manufacturing processes used, the total cost is also continuously going down.

Solar Module Properties: Temperature Characteristic

Semiconductors have a negative temperature coefficient which means that its resistance increases with an increase in temperature. For solar panels, this corresponds to a decrease in total power output. If we look at the IV curve at different operating temperatures, we can see that the curve moves slightly to the left with increases in temperature. This means that the solar panel’s operating voltage decreases slightly as the cell temperature increases. This is contrary to popular belief that solar panels convert heat to electricity and therefore, will produce more energy during hotter ambient temperatures.

There are basically only two input parameters that affect the solar panel’s output, and these are irradiance and cell temperature. This is why for solar farms and some commercial solar PV systems, they install weather sensors like pyranometers (measures irradiance) and module temperature sensors. The data collected from these sensors can then be used to get the expected energy production and compared to its actual production to measure its performance.

Effect of Shading / Solar Module String Characteristics 

Solar panels are connected in series to form a string to increase its voltage to a level that is compatible with the inverter input. And since they are in series, they can only produce a single value of current. If one solar panel in the string is subjected to shading, it effectively reduces the amount of irradiance on its input. The IV curve of that solar panel is moved downward, corresponding to a decrease in output current. When this happens, all other solar panels in the string are also forced to decrease their output current to match the shaded solar panel’s output.

Therefore, solar panels that are connected in a string only perform as well as the least performing solar panel on the string. In short, shading on one solar panel effectively affects every other solar panel on the string.

The same thing happens for the solar cells that are also connected in series to form the solar panel. Even when only one portion of the solar panel is subjected to shading, it also affects all the other solar cells. And because of this, shading on a small area on a solar panel results to a disproportionate amount of reduction in power output.

Solar Module Physical Characteristics

Solar modules are exposed to the sun, which means that it has to withstand extreme weather conditions like hot and cold ambient temperatures, rain, snow and hail for its lifetime of 25 years.  To be able to do this, the solar cells inside the solar panels come with several layers of protection against the outside elements. These are:

·  Glass – the glass at the very front of the solar modules make them weatherproof and protects them from impact from falling debris. These are made from 3 to 4mm thick tempered glass. Tempered glass is used because it breaks only in tiny fragments rather than large, sharp and jagged sections for standard glass. The IEC minimum standard is that the glass must be able to withstand an impact from 1 inch wide hailstones traveling at 60 miles per hour.

·  Aluminum Frame – The aluminum frame protects the edge of the laminate section containing the solar cells while also providing a solid structure to mount the solar cells. The frame is made from aluminum because of its lightweight characteristic. The solar modules are mounted in position by clamps installed on the frame. The frame is also grounded in the installation for protection.

·  EVA film – EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) is a highly transparent plastic used to encapsulate the solar cells. It has 2 functions, as shock absorption from external impact and as another layer of protection from temperature and moisture and dirt ingress.

·  Backsheet – the back sheet is located on the rearmost part of the solar module for mechanical protection and electrical insulation.

3 Services Offered by Solar Power Companies

There has been a scientific consensus for quite some time that we’re living in a dangerous world pushed to the brink regarding carbon emissions into our atmosphere. Climate change isn’t some random theory tossed around political circles; it’s a fact of life that is very obvious and consequential. We’re living through a time in human history unlike any other, and people are going to have to change their habits, or we might not have a peaceful, comfortable planet like the one in which we grew up. This reason is why many people are changing to solar energy, and many solar companies have burst onto the scene.

Though, what should you be looking for in a quality solar power company? Here are three things to keep in mind when you’re looking for a quality company with which to do business.

Top 3 Services from a Solar Company

Quotes and Consultations

Different homes have different needs when it comes to solar panels. For instance, homes that have a lot of land might want their panels out on the property, whereas others want them on the roof. Some people want to go green but face restrictions by a budget and therefore need to supplement instead of replace. There are so many different needs in terms of sizes and budgets, etc., so it’s nice to have a company that consults with you about your individual needs and offers you a quote to see what you will have to pay. This reason is why you should only consider going with a company that’s offering you a free quote and a company that’s willing to consult with you about your exact needs and your exact specifications. There is no one size fits all system. Everyone’s needs are different.

Installation of Products

While you might not have to technically be an engineer to install solar panels and other solar products, it certainly helps if you have the expertise and are qualified to do it. This expertise is one of the three main things that a qualified solar power company is offering, the ability to install the systems the right way. When you think about panels, it’s not as if you’re laying some glass sheets down on a roof. There are brackets and wiring and harnesses and converters and perhaps even motorized elements and timers and so much more. This process isn’t like pushing a stove into a corner cutout or hooking up the hot and cold hoses the right way on a washing machine. It can be quite a complicated job, and the best companies in the industry aren’t going to force you to outsource this work to someone else. They’re going to show up at your home and handle the installation for you so that you know it’s hooked up and ready to run when they leave.

Maintenance of Systems

While a solar company isn’t going to come around and babysit the systems they install, they’re still going to be there to provide support for you when it’s needed. If your panels stop tracking, or if your power stops converting, or you’re experiencing any issues with your batteries charging correctly, the company that sold you the goods and installed the products are going to be there to assist you in keeping your system running smoothly. This benefit is why people should only select the best local companies dealing with solar power. A lot of companies out there are in business just to profit, so once they sell you the products, they wipe their hands clean and move on. The best companies, on the other hand, are concerned not only about their image and the customer, but also about the environment. Their investment lies in selling systems that actually work.

Just keep these things in mind when you’re considering solar power. The best companies in the industry will offer you three key elements that others aren’t willing to offer. Find a quality company that will give you a quote and consult with you, while also showing up to install the systems correctly. And make sure the company in question will be there for you if you’re experiencing problems.

Click on the map of solar farms in Texas and solar farms in California to search for locations.